Driving mechanism.



No. 660,750. Patented Oct. 30, I900.

P.- cuuumanm.

- umvmGJnEcHAmsm.

(Applicatign m m. 10, 1909.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

WiTNEIESES No. 660,750. Patentedflct. 30, I900.

- P. CUNNINGHAM.

- DRIVING MECHANISM. (Application filed x. 10, 1900. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shoat 2.

Fig.4-

WITNESSES- INVENTEIR UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK CUNNINGHAM, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS TO FRED D. STANLEY, OF SAME PLACE, AND WILLIAM A. WI-IITTLESEY, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,750, dated October 30, 1900.

Application filed March 10, 1900. Serial No. 8,140. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK CUNNINGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in New Bedford, in the county of Bristol, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inDriving Mechanism, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a novel driving mechanism for imparting rotary motion to a shaft from a driving-shaft through an intermediate shaft which is geared to the driven [5 shaft and is connected with and driven from the main or driving shaft.

The invention has for its object to provide means whereby the intermediate shaft may be maintained in a fixed or constant relation to the main or driving shaft, while permitting the driving and intermediate shafts to be changed or moved bodily with relation to the driven shaft, thereby enabling link chains which may and preferably will be used to connect the driving-shaft with the intermediate shaft to be maintained taut under all conditions and avoiding strains upon the chains and the noise resulting from slackening and tightening the same.

The invention is particularly well adapted,

among other uses, to be employed on automobiles, and especially those designed for heavy work.

These and other features of this invention 5 will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a driving mech-' anism embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the driving mechanism shown in I in the drawings.

as herein shown, by providing the gear Z with annular grooves 2 3 on its opposite faces or sides, into which extend annular flanges 4 5 on the two parts 6 7 of a casing practically inclosing the gear I, the parts of said casing being suitably secured together, as by screws or bolts 8. The parts 6 7 of the casing referred to are provided with upwardly-extended arms 9 10, having tubular extensions or bosses 12 13, forming bearings for the shaft t, and upon which are fitted the ends of connecting-rods 14 15, having their other ends mounted on a shaft or pin 16, supported in a bearing 17, which, as shown, rests upon and is suitably secured to an I-beam 18, the bearing 17 being represented as secured to the I-beam by rivets 19. (See Fig. 1.) .The connectingrods 14 15 are of any suitable or usual construction and are adjustable for lengthening and shortening the same, as clearly shown In Figs. 1 and 3 the two parts or halves 6 7 of the casing inclosing the gear-wheel l are shown as provided with elongated openings 20, which construction is adapted for use when the shaft j is designed to have a pivotal motionas, for instance, when the shaft jis used as the front axle of a vehicle. In Figs. 1 and 2 the shaft a is represented as supported in a bearing 21, suitably attached to the top of an I-beam 22. The I-beams 18 and 22 may form part of the body portion of an automobile wagon or truck, and the shaft (1 may be connected with 5 a suitable engine, (not herein shown,) and for the purpose of this invention let it be assumed that the shaftj is the front axle of the vehicle-that is, the shaft upon which the front wheels are mounted. 10o

and the bosses 12 13 the *i-ntermed'iatepinion= By means of the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 ,land 3 it will be seen that thessh'atft a and the intermediate shaft thave a fixed relation to one another, but are capable of bodily movement with relation to the driven shaftj, which movement may be occasioned .by the wheels on the shaft j striking an ob-g stacle in front of them, which would arrest, the forward movement. of the'sha'ftj; butthef momentum of the vehicle-bodycarrying the shafts a and 2' would not be thus arrested, and consequently the shafts aandn'would be; carried forward bodily, and by reason of the casing being movable in the annular grooves in thegear-wheel land the pivotalconnection, of the rods 14 and '15 with the shaft orpin 16 is free to respond to the forward movement and be carried around thegeartliuntil therebst-ruction .is overcome,-whereupon theibodyaof the vehicle assumes sits normal position-errelation to the axle j and the pinion .isrestored to its normal position. (Shown intthe-drawin-gs.) Asa result :the linkch ainsiefrem ai n taut under all conditions. Theeshatfts remand i-may have a bodily movement in ='the;reverse direction with relation :to the axis 9', which may be occasioned by the wheels meetingzan obstruction in the actof backingthe vehicle. The-elongated slot 20 in the casing permits the front-shaft; to move as in :thfli3613l0f tusrning the vehicle; but when ithe,dri-ningishaft a is connected with similar gearing {to that herein .shown and mounted {on :the JI'BEJItShfilft or hind axletof the vehicle-theopening'20-matvbe dispensed with and the two :parts :of the casing fitted substantially close :upon the shaft 30, (see Fig. 4,.) w.h-i ch mayabeisupposed to be .the rears-haftorax leaof it-hevehicle. jIt will be understood that .-a duplicate of tthe mechanism shown in Fig.1 maybe-connected with therear axle 30 and that thezshafts aof both mechanisms may be connected with athe same propelling-shaft, which is ,not the-reinv shown and which may be the crankshaftof an engine :carried iby'ithe automobile.

By mounting the rods 5L4: 15 on 313115 pin or stationary shaft 16 the main .or-driving sh'aft a, is relieved from excessive .:f-ricti.0n which would be occasioned :if the said rods were mounted on the main shaft. .As-a result a? very-considerable saving in power is efiected, i and especially so in vehicles havinga eheatv y: load, the heavier the load the "reat:er the friction. Furthermore, :a considerable =sa.v* ing is effectedtby dispensing withlbearingsen the mai-nsshafttand oil-.cu ps, &0, which would 1 be required if the rods 14 15 were inonntedt on the main shaft. i

1. In an apparatus 1015 the character de-* scribed, the combination with a maiintor driwing shaft, a driven shaft, an intermediate; shaft, means connecting the driving-shaft; with the intermediate shaft, means aconnect-l ing the intermediate s'haft wi-th thed-riven shaft, means disconnected from the drivingshaft to secure the intermediate shaft in a fixed relation to the driving-shafn'and means to permit bodily movement of the driving and intermediate shafts with relation to the driven shaft without disturbing the relative :position of the driving and intermediate shafts, substantiallyasdescribed.

'2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination wi-th a main or driving shaft, a driven shaft, a gear mounted tthere'on'a'nd provided with a circular groove in one of its faces, an intermediate shaft, a pinion in mesh with said gear and mount-ed on said intermediate shaft, means to rotate the'intermediate shaft from the driving-shaft,

asuppor't for the intermediate shaft having a flange extended into the circular groove in the said gear, rand nnean-s t'o-secu re "the intermediate shaft in .aifi'xed position with relation to the :nrainor drivingzshaft, substantially ;as described.

In an apparatus of the character described, ithe combination-with a mai n or drivingshafit, 'a-driven shaft, a gear fasten said driven shaft :and provided with circular grooves zinliets opposite:sidesaorzfaces, an intermediate shaft, a pinion on said intermediate shaft in zmesh with the gear on "the driven shaft, means connecting l1=h6 intermediate .S'hflffit with the driving-shaft, "a two-part casi-ng iformaing bearings for the intermediate shaft :and provided with circular flanges which extend into the grooves ontthe-gear fast on the driven shaman d rods tor links connected to :said tcasin'gatone end and having their other end secuared in :a fi-xed position, :substan tially ras described.

4. in an apparatus iO-f the class described, the combination withamain :ord-riving-shaft, a driven sshaft, an ainterinediateshaft, means to rotate the intermediate :shaft "from the drivin-geshaft, :ge'arii ng connecting the intermediate :shaft with .the driven shaft, a su ppert for the ttntermediate shaft comprising a casing provided with journalsoribossesetits opposite sides and movable eon said gearing, and links or rods having one end loosely mounted ion :said journals :orbossesand their other end mounted in i2, fixedposi tion, su bstantially as and for the purpose specified.

1,5,. lI-D an apparatus of the class described, the ac onrbination with a rm aian .or d rivi'ng shaft, .a driven shaft, a gear mounted on said d-riven shaft, :an intermediate shaft,a :piznion OIIiSaEld. intermediate shaft "in mesh with said gear, sprooket'wheels on tthe driving-shaft and intermediate :shaft, ilink chains :connec'tingsaid wheels, a rsupportifor :theintermediate shaft, :means to secure-ene lend-of :said support in a ifixed position with relation to the drivingsshaftand meanstolconnect said support with tthezgear son the driven shaft to permit moveunen t ofisaidsnppozrtrindependent oftsaid gear, substantially as described.

6. In :an apparatus of -the class described,

IIIO

the combination with a main or driving shaft, a driven shaft, an intermediate shaft, means to rotate the intermediate shaft from the driving-shaft, gearing connecting the intermediate shaft with the driven shaft, a support for the intermediate shaft, means to secure one end of said support in a fixed position with relation to the driving-shaft, and means to connect said support with the said 10 gearing to permit movement of the said support independent of said gearing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PATRICK CUNNINGHAM. 

